Three Classic Holdens - One Owner: Classic Restos - Series 55

Fletch travels to southern New South Wales to meet Steve Hennessy, who always aspired to own a classic car, but never in his wildest dreams did he think he would ever own three classic Holdens.

Steve’s first Holden was a 1975 SLR 5000 LH Holden Torana, which brings back great memories of his first trip to Bathurst at age 10 in 1975, the same year Peter Brock won the iconic event in the same car, a 1975 SLR 5000 Torana. It took Steve some years to acquire his first classic as family and work commitments took precedence. The paint, bodywork and interior were in good condition, but the drivetrain needed to be rebuilt. Steve took no shortcuts, ensuring the car was rebuilt to the original specifications.

Thinking that the ’75 Torana would be his first and only classic car, Steve was surprised when another member of his car club, the ‘NSW Torana Club’, approached him to discuss if he would like to buy his 1977 L31 LX Torana SS Hatchback. The car then had only two owners, one of whom had owned it for 30 years. After a family meeting to discuss the opportunity of getting another Holden classic, the deal was done. Over time, the car had lots of aftermarket accessories added, but Steve preferred his cars in their original spec and went about restoring the car. Although his two classics were based on the same model, they were different in their own way, with the L31 SS having the new Radial Tuned Suspension (RTS). The most significant difference was the two-door versus four-door; the two-door had larger doors and felt longer and lower when driving.

Steve's appreciation of Australian automotive manufacturing history has grown, not just for Holden but also for Ford and Chrysler. He believes we should honour and respect this heritage just as much as heritage buildings.

Then, two classics became three with the addition of a 1985 SS VK HDT Commodore. This car was the basis of the HDT Race Cars raced by Peter Brock as a privateer and HDT. The VK is the last of the Group C race cars, replaced by the new regulation Group A race cars.

Steve’s VK spent most of its life as a daily drive, accumulating many kilometres. The paint and interior were in reasonable condition, but the mechanics needed some tweaking. Steve wanted it restored to the original spec like his other cars.

Steve’s knowledge of each of these cars and Holden is enormous, as he knows all the technical and historical changes over the life of these cars. Today, Steve is the President of the ‘NSW Torana Club’, and he says this association has become integral to his family’s life, allowing them to share great times with like-minded friends through his love of Holdens and his initial desire to own a classic.